Refugee Novel: Journey of Survival and Resilience
Who are helpful people in each of these three journeys? Why do others treat the refugees with meanness and disrespect? How do these experiences affect each of the families and lead to the survival of certain family members?
Josef's, Isabel's, and Mahmoud's journey.
The characters Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud in the novel 'Refugee' are assisted by individuals who offer guidance, hope, and direction. They face meanness and disrespect due to prejudices, which affect their families deeply. However, these experiences also build resilience and determination, helping in their survival.
In the novel Refugee by Alan Gratz, each character, Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud, encounters helpful people along their journeys. For Josef, a Jewish boy escaping Nazi Germany, it was his father who was instrumental in their journey. Isabel, fleeing Castro's Cuba, is aided by her grandfather who helps her family remain hopeful and determined. Mahmoud, leaving Syria due to war, finds an ally in a Serbian man who gives him directions.
These individuals are met with meanness and disrespect due to pervasive prejudices, discrimination, and fear towards refugees. The societies they go through often dehumanize them due to their refugee status. These experiences can deeply affect each family, leading to both physical and emotional struggles. Yet, they also create strength, resilience, and a determination to survive in these families. The support they receive helps them to persevere, leading to the survival of certain family members.
Overall, the novel highlights the importance of empathy, understanding, and compassion towards refugees, as well as the strength and courage displayed by those who are forced to leave their homes in search of safety and hope.